Chemical analysis of archaeological clay potteries by PIGE and PIXE methods using proton beams from tandem accelerator for provenance study

Particle induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) and particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) methods using proton beams from tandem accelerator were applied for chemical analysis of sixteen archaeological clay potteries. The samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to obtain firing temperature. PIGE method was used for determination of concentrations of Si and Al and PIXE was used to determine concentrations of eight transition elements. Concentration ratios of SiO 2 to Al 2 O 3 and statistical cluster analysis using transition elemental concentrations of samples indicated two major groups. PIGE and PIXE methods were validated by analyzing reference materials from IAEA and NIST.